How do I get this trim off??

[rwthomas1]

How do you remove the chrome trim that sweeps down off the roof on the drip rails right where the back doors window meets the C-pillar on 123's?? The area where the rear drain hole for the sunroof is is what I am talking about. I have a small surface rust spot that I need to attend to right at the bottom of this trim so I want to remove it to do a good job. Thanks, RT

[rwthomas1]

C'mon guys! Someone has got to know how to take this stuff off? I was able to remove the plastic trim piece that fits into the vent and the rubber strip on top of the stainless drip rail cap snaps off and peels back fairly easy. The piece thats left is the stainless drip rail trim that is about 2" wide and tapers as it travels up the C-pillar. Does this piece just pull off the drip rail? It "looks" like it might but I don't want to bend/break anything finding out.... RT

Rwthomas,

I sense your frustration with the lack of response. Anyway, I do NOT know how to remove said trim piece. The only other piece of trim that I believe is attatched by small nuts through the rear C pillar is the chrome edged piece that is color coordinated with a bit of taper. I "think" that trim is by nuts. Perhaps you know for sure.

Anyway, good luck and know that some of us are indeed out here reading and memorizing this stuff....hahaha

By the way, the back and forth banter concerfning "turbo" and "exhaust" info seemed interesting to me at least. You seem to have TWEAKED your truck pretty well.

Hope that all is well and a CORRECT response to the trim issue is forthcoming!

See you at the GTG..........whenever it may be .

Best wishes always, spo out.

[rwthomas1]

Thanks Russell,
I do realize when people don't know, they don't know..... I am still hoping but I think I will be the lab rat on this one. Hey, someones gotta do it! I don't see any bolts or any way it could be bolted as it just seems to clamp on the drip rail and I can see both sides.... Glad you enjoyed the other discussions. Thats what this place is for. While I enjoy my MB and I plan to keep it stock this is a very different place than other diesel boards. Here is much more "enjoy the car for what it is" type attitude. Certainly a fine posture to assume given the very high quality of the vehicles and their already advanced engineering. Other diesel boards, particularly the truck boards, have plenty of guys trying to pull 50%-100% more weight than the truck is rated for. Trying that REQUIRES some rethinking and reengineering. Some of the Dmax guys are running 0-60 in under 8seconds and pulling 14-15K loads with their trucks. Put this in perspective, your talking about 7000+lbs of pickup here!! Regarding my truck, I've only just begun. Only a tweaked pump, blueprinted hi-pop injectors, custom wastegate controller and the exhaust. Shes getting a twin-thermostat setup, high-volume waterpump, intercooler, marine injection pump and injectors and a turbo upgrade. "Should" be an easy 300hp and 550ft/lbs torque. Lots of fun! Hopefully see you at the gtg. RT

[engatwork]

I'm not exactly clear on which piece you are referring and don't know much about body work. The way I do it is whenever I am in a pull a part type salvage yard I will remove the trim that I am trying to learn how to remove for practice and to learn how to do it.

Jim,

Excellent comment about the boneyard comment !

Down in Georgia, y'all don't have all of the mud and snow and slush mixed with all the oil and grime that gets frozen and icy and slippery at said boneyards.

I, myself have utilized the aforementioned practice on countless occasions. Especially when dealing with a variety of vehicles.

Do y'all ever trek up into S. Carolina? My fiance is from Aiken, and we spend some time there a couple of times each year. Her dad has a foreign car repair shop called The Automotive Workbench there.


Rt, good luck with your bodywork ! I envy you having a garage to perform your various mantainence issues. I, on the other hand am relegated to working out on the street. Compounding this is the fact that I live across the street from the county courthouse. The melitia does not condone vehicles (even with resident stickers) being left on jackstands etc during the day ...........oh well

Good luck and best wishes always.

spo out.

[leathermang]

You use the pick and pull cars as Guinea pig experiments ? Sure glad you are not down here close to my closest junkyards....

[mikemover]

I've learned a LOT about how things do and do not come apart from pulling parts at the local Pull-a-Part yards. Of course I always try to be careful and not break the part, even if it's something I don't need/want. On the other hand, I've broken a good part or two that I DID want, from not knowing how to remove it. But now I know!

Mike

[engatwork]

We get to the Aiken area on occasion. The wife has kin over there - English is their last name. Also, there is a place over there that sells biodiesel.

[rwthomas1]

Kicking idea! Supposed to be in the mid-30's here tomorrow and I have to pass right by a boneyard with Benz's on my way...... Will bring vice grips to see if I can move that trim piece easily. Thanks for the idea! I'll even try on the opposite side to mine so if I bugger mine up I'll know where one is!! RT

[rmmagow]

Hey rw, where's the boneyard in RI ? might be needing a visit there myself soon. Lots of inside parts on my 300D are a mess.

Mine got torn off in the carwash.

It's secured by screwheads into the c-pillar.

Rather than take the whole car apart, widened the slots for the screwheads until the dingus flush-fit fairly well, then epoxied it back in place. Seems fine so far.

[rwthomas1]

rmmagow,
Oak Hill Auto Salvage in NK has a few older MB's sitting way out back. They have been picked pretty good but may have what you need.

JimB,
I think the "swoosh" is what I am refering to. I don't see any screws in mine though.... RT

[schooner]

I painted my car a couple of years ago and had to remove the chrome strip from the drip rail. It is actually two strips of chrome. One runs up the A pillar to about the middle of the front door. THe other runs from that point back and ends with a black rubber plug at the rear most end of the drip rail. I cannot remember if the two chrome strips overlap requiring removal of the front strip to get at the back, but I think they only butt together.
If they do overlap, and if I remember correctly, the front strip is removed by taking off the black plastic strip that runs up the A pillar between the pillar and the windshield. It is held on by three screws.
The drip rail chrome strip is a friction or crimp fit. I used a wood block and a hammer. There is a rubber plug at the rear of the chrome strip that is used to attach it to the drip rail. THis pulls off. Next angle the edge of the block along the chrome strip and gently tap. This will detach the chrome strip from the drip rail.
My mistake was using too short a block of wood (about 3") and going from front to back on the rear chrome strip because the rear of the strip bent (neither right nor left but longitudinally like the curl in a dog's tail) and I had a great deal of difficulty pressing it back on the drip rail. It might be better to start with the block and hammer just rear of where the chrome strip descends on the C pillar.
In summary, hit the damn thing with a wood block and a really big hammer. Good luck.

[rwthomas1]

Thanks schooner,
Thats exactly what I was looking for! I only need to remove the rearmost piece so thats what I'm gonna do. I love this board!!
RT